D.C. Council member: City offices should close Monday

Council member Kwame R. Brown (D-At Large) said he will close his office Monday to give his employees time to dig out of their homes and called on Mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D) to do the same for the entire government.

In a news release Sunday, Brown said the city has been overwhelmed by the snowfall.
Fenty, applauded for leading his administration through an effective snow removal during the last storm, has not announced the plan for government offices yet. But his administration, including D.C. Public Schools, has become known for remaining open while other jurisdictions shut down their governments and schools.

"I have received updates from all over the city of residents that have just begun to dig themselves out from the Blizzard of 2010," Brown said in a statement. "I have also received reports that most of the city's sidewalks are impassable, forcing many residents to venture out on foot to walk in the streets."

That makes total sense. On Friday, Mayor Fenty was talking about having the city ready for business on Monday. I can't even get to the end of my street. Let's all enjoy the Superbowl, and continue digging out on Monday.

THANK YOU COUNCILMAN KB THIS IS THE WORST BLIZZARD WE HAVE HAD IN MANY YEARS IT WOULD BE TOO DANGEROUS AND TOO MUCH OF A CHALLENGE TO GET AROUND TOMORROW FOR STUDENTS. MOST OF THE SIDE STREETS STILL HAVE NOT BEEN DUG OUT. IN ADDITION, MANY OF TEACHERS LIVE OUTSIDE OF DC, I AM SURE IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT COMING INTO WORK- METRO RAIL/BUS WITH LIMITED SERVICE. TEACHERS THAT DO SHOW WILL JUST BE BABY SITTING. I TRIED WALKING MY DOG AND IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO WALK IN THE STREET, THE SIDEWALKS ARE NOT WALKABLE, EITHER THE SIDEEWALK HAS'NT BEEN SHOVELED OR IT IS SLICK WITH ICE.THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMON SENSE AND BEING CONSIDERED OF OTHERS.

How in the world are DC workers supposed to get work on Monday and what is the purpose of an hour delay? I can't wait to hear King Fenty's explanation of how they reached this decision. Everyone doesn't travel in a govt. caravan, have govt. workers show up to continually plow their streets.

If nothing else proves that Fenty is out of touch, this should do it. His ego will not let him back off the idiotic promise made on Friday (in the face of a historic snow storm) that it would be business as usual Monday.

I don't know why the DC government is open today. Only above-ground trains and running and I just checked Metro's website and only 18 buses in the DMV are running. How are people supposed to get to work? Is this a cost savings measure for the city? The mayor knows that workers are not going to come in today and will have to use leave. Won't cost him anything. Well maybe re-election.

I am really upset that Fenty like always has decided to short change the Metropolitan Police Department
and Fire Department. He never gives them credit for a job well done. All the
praise goes to DPW (which in my opinion did not do such a great job compared to
Mongomery County)and no praise to those fine people that had to leave their
homes and families and hike through the Blizzard to help others out. (and no
they did not have the option of taking leave).

So as a citizen of D.C. I would like to extend a heart felt thanks to all the
MPD line officers and DCFD Firefighters who were the True hero's during the
Blizzard of 2010.